The present invention relates generally to microcomputer systems, and more particularly to methods and devices for facilitating the connection of peripherals or the like to a microcomputer.
The power of microcomputers has grown drastically since the introduction of first generation microcomputers (such as the Altair 8800). The Altair 8800 was sold to electronic hobbyists in kit form. It had 256 bytes of RAM. Programs were entered into the RAM by entering binary instruction codes using switches. About all that the computer could do was to blink a few lights. It had no keyboard, no external storage device for storing data or program, and no video monitor.
Better computers were soon introduced. All of them had keyboards. They used dumb terminals as display devices. Cassette tapes and floppy diskettes were used as external storage media. Programs could be written in high-level languages such as BASIC and FORTRAN. Operating systems (such as CP/M) were developed for microcomputers. Business oriented programs, such as an electronic spreadsheet called VisiCal, were also introduced.
The microcomputer market took off with the introduction of IBM personal computer and compatible computers (collectively, the xe2x80x9cIBM PCxe2x80x9d). More than a hundred million IBM PCs had been sold. One of the reasons for the success of the IBM PC is that it is a microcomputer with open architecture, i.e., the technical standard for attached peripheral devices and boards to the IBM PC is in the public domain, thus allowing many vendors to make and sell competing products to owners of the IBM PC. Buyers are more willing to invest in the IBM PC because they will not be locked into products supplied by just one vendor.
As a result of the hugh market and the associated revenues, many companies, including chip, board and peripheral device manufacturers, spent millions of dollars to improve the performance of the IBM PC and related products. Consequently, the IBM PC and peripheral devices became more powerful. At the same time, the price of IBM PCs and peripherals decreased as a result of economy of scale. Soon, microcomputers became useful tools for general purpose usage instead of toys for hobbyists or special instruments used in laboratories.
The first segment of society which bought a large number of IBM PCs was the business segment comprising large and medium size companies. As of today, the business segment still represents a substantial portion of the microcomputer market. The microcomputers are used in these companies to run word processor, spreadsheet, and database software.
As a result of IBM PC""s open architecture, it is often necessary to assemble several peripheral devices to a main computer unit in order to build a complete microcomputer system. This assembling process is not easy because many connectors and cables look substantially the same. Consequently, the companies in the above mentioned business segment hire computer professionals, either in-house or outside consultants, to set up and maintain microcomputers.
Currently, the price of an IBM PC is within the reach of many families and small offices. These families buy microcomputers to run education software for children and entertainment software for the whole family. The home computers also allow office workers to take some of their works home. At the same time, many small offices discover that they can save money by using a microcomputer to perform many functions which previously required professional helps, such as accounting. In addition, standard word processor, spreadsheet and database software allow an office to be run more efficiently. Consequently, the home and small office computer market become a very important part of the microcomputer market.
Typically, persons who buy a home or small office IBM PC do not have any training in computer hardware. Some of them even cannot identify the names of the peripheral devices which need to be connected to the main computer unit. However, these buyers cannot afford to hire high-priced consultants to set up the computers for them. The stores which sell them computers cannot afford to send a technician to every home or small office to set up the computers because of the low profit margin in selling computers. Consequently, these buyers encounter a great deal of frustrations in setting up their computers. Thus, there is a need to design microcomputer systems which can be easily set up by these inexperienced buyers.
The present invention involves a microcomputer system designed to facilitate the connection of peripheral devices to a computer unit. The computer unit has a plurality of ports for connecting to external peripheral devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a set of adhesive strips is attached to positions adjacent to the ports. Each strip has a distinct color. The present invention also covers other means for providing color coding to the ports, such as painting.
The microcomputer system also contains at least one peripheral device. The device is designed to be electrically matched to one of the ports. In one embodiment of the present invention, the peripheral device contains a cable and a plug. The plug has a color which is substantially the same as the strip associated with the matching port. Thus, a user merely has to match the color of the plug to the color of the strip in order to determine the correct way to connect the peripheral device to the computer unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the cable instead of the plug can be color coded. In a further embodiment of the present invention, both the cable and the plug can be color coded.
These and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.